A Homage to Lineage

The Krishnamacharya Ashtanga-Vinyasa

Krishnamacharya was an Indian yoga teacher, ayurvedic healer and scholar and is often called the founder of modern yoga. Although he never stepped foot on U.S. soil, he is widely considered as the architect of Vinyāsa, a style of yoga that combines breathing with flow-like movement.

The Ashtanga-Vinyasa living lineages come to us directly through T Krishnamacharya and K. Pattabhi Jois weaving an important thread of yoga. Pattabhi Jois was a dedicated student of Krishnamacharya and together they credited the Ashtanga-Vinyasa legacy we practice today.

The current series in the Ashtanga Vinyasa system were developed by T Krishnamacharya around the internal principles of Vinyasa found in the ancient Indian text, the “Yoga Kurunta”. He instructed his student K. Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, South India to master and to use these series in teaching the Ashtanga-Vinyasa system.

Underlying all of Krishnamacharya’s teachings was the principle “Teach what is appropriate for an individual.” When Pattabhi Jois moved on as many other students did, Krishnamacharya later accepted his first female student Indra Devi in India in the 1930s, a revolution in yoga began. He knew diversity was important for the spread of yoga.

Indra Devi expanded the knowledge of yoga in the U.S. by taking what she learned from Krishnamacharya to Hollywood. Today, we continue what Krishnamacharya started with yoga classes that reflect the diverse world we live in today. Our philosophy is an integrated yoga practice and lifestyle leads to oneness which nurtures a fulfilling, inclusive yoga practice that the world can benefit from. All are welcome.